Legend: 50% Fantasy, 50% Monster Movie
Photo credit: Universal
Legend is a fantasy film. No one has ever argued that point. But in my opinion, Legend is also a monster movie with horror elements. Don’t believe me? Let’s take another look.
The cast:
Tim Curry as Darkness
Mia Sara as Lili
David Bennent as Gump
Billy Barty as Screwball
Alice Playten as Blix
Cork Hubbert as Brown Tom
Annabelle Lanyon as Oona
Kiran Shah as Blunder
Peter O’Farrell as Pox
Robert Picardo as Meg Mucklebones
Tina Martin as Nell
Tom Cruise as Jack
Legend Tim Curry’s role in Legend
Photo credit: Universal
What can’t Tim Curry do? Darkness-the name of the devilish looking character he plays is one seductive SOB. But he is a monster, first and foremost. He orders the death of the unicorns to bring about eternal night. He influences humans through dreams, he says. Darkness wants an innocent girl for his own. Lili, whose name could have been a corruption of Lily the flower that symbolizes purity, or Lilith, who legend says was Adam’s first wife, kicked out of heaven for her insubordination.
Obviously inspired by the modern interpretation of a Baphomet like devil, Tim Curry’s Darkness is all horns, goat legs, red skin, reptilian slit pupils and fangs. He is the worst of all monsters, the king.
Majestic af. But still evil af.
Photo credit: Universal
If you can get a copy of the director’s cut, there is a documentary that says the plot was actually much darker. Darkness was going to have sex with Lili(Mia Sara).
The Goblins
Maybe this is why Keith Richards can’t be killed by conventional weapons.
Photo credit: Universal
The goblins have no uniform look, and it is hinted that at least some may be corrupted fairy folk. They despise all things good, and the most evil, Blix(Alice Playten) is tasked with killing the unicorns. Blix looks like Keith Richards. Blix has pretty good management skills.
Inspired by Monsters in Folklore
Photo credit: Universal
Everyone remembers the unicorns and fairy folk, and the goblins, too. They are central to the plot, of course. But the first actual evil baddie the hero Jack(Tom Cruise) meets is Meg Mucklebones(Robert Picardo). Meg was based on Jenny Greenteeth, a creature feared by English children. The monstrous creature would pull any child foolish enough to get too close to the edge into the water and drown/devour them. If the name Robert Picardo is ringing a bell, it may be because he played holographic the emergency medical hologram(aka The Doctor) on Star Trek: Voyager. The foam suit he wore as Meg nearly killed him( How this movie hasn’t made it to an episode of Cursed Films yet is beyond me. Foam suits soaking up water, sets burning down, soundtrack woes…)
The Dress
Darkness does not entice Lili with his charms after all, but a dress does. The demonic dancing dress scene is one of the most beautiful, scary, weird, and seductive scenes in filmdom.
Lili in a later iteration of the dress.
Photo credit: Universal
The Castle
Darkness’s home is a house of horrors. Dungeons, torture, and voyeuristic statues that move in a squirmy, creepy way. Goblins abound, slinking in the shadows. Mirrors become doorways. Floors are fire and brimstone. The goblets fill themselves with what looks like blood or wine. Not to mention what the castle’s inhabitants are eating.
Creepy ass demon baby statue.
Photo credit: Universal
Shakespeare
A skull on a blood soaked table.
Photo credit: Universal
The monstrous giant cooks in Darkness’s kitchens use human and fairy alike in their meat pies. Fresh human skulls are seen on a blood covered table. The cook can be seen chopping up or beating a victim in the background. This may have been inspired by Shakespeare’s violent Titus Andronicus, where Chiron and Demetrius are baked into pies by the title character in an act of revenge.
Tom’s Teeth
Yes-this movie stars a pre-superstar/couch jumping Tom Cruise. How can you tell? His teeth. They are not yet fixed. He was a regular book version of Hermione, y’all. Now you can’t not notice it. But don’t let it deter you from this film.
So do you agree that Legend is part monster film, too? Let us know! But don’t mention the teeth.
